NEW: Providence Firefighters Asked to Take Pay Cuts

The City of Providence has asked firefighters to give up several raises, take a pay cut, and forgo other benefits, union president Paul Doughty told GoLocalProv late today.

Doughty said the city is asking for the following:
■ take a one percent salary cut
■ give up a 3 percent salary hike
■ give up a scheduled retroactive salary payment
■ a one or 2 percent reduction in annual longevity bonuses.

In all, the cutbacks add up to the $6 million the city says it wants to save in the Fire Department budget, according to Doughty.

The city issued the proposal in February and sent an updated version in March, but Doughty said it’s still too early to say what the union response will be, since the budget was proposed just this month and is still going through hearings before the Finance Committee of the City Council.

“This is an offer that has been on the table,” Doughty said. “There hasn’t been a formal response and there couldn’t be until we knew the contents of the budget.”

He expects serious negotiations on those proposed concessions could begin next week.

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